Three Choirs Festival

Cornish-born composer Graham Fitkin (b.1963) is the first of our featured composer profiles for the Gloucester 2023 festival.

Fitkin's work is broadly classified as minimalist and postminimalist. Much of his writing is for the piano, including solo and multiple player works. Fitkin lists his early classical influences as Igor Stravinsky, Anton Webern and Pierre Boulez. He also references American minimalist Steve Reich, and acknowledges a broad range of influences outside the field of classical music, from jazz musicians Keith Jarrett, Muggsy Spanier and Miles Davis, and popular singer Frank Sinatra, to modern pop groups such as The Smiths, Wire and the Pet Shop Boys.

This year, Fitkin brings his piece 'The Age of Aspiration' to life with the all new Festival Voices choir, countertenor James Hall, and acclaimed actor Samuel West*. This piece follows the work of scientist Humphry Davy. You can see more about this piece in this short video:

*professional engagements permitting